§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has362W had with the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions about the funding of regional museums. [95135]
§ Mr. Chris Smith[holding answer 25 October 1999]: I have not had discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions about the funding of regional museums. However, funding from DCMS is available indirectly through the Area Museums Councils (which received a total of £4 million in 1998–99, most of which was given to individual museums and galleries). Through the Museums and Galleries Commission, the Department provides funds for the PRISM Fund (71 grants worth £292,567 in 1998–99) and the V&A Purchase Grant Fund (227 grants worth £1 million) which assist regional museums in acquiring objects for their collections. For the first time, this Government have been able to provide £15 million over three years (1999–2002) to pre-eminent regional collections through the Designated Museums Challenge Fund.
In addition, the Heritage Lottery Fund supports regional museums through the Capital Grants Programme and the Museums and Galleries Access Fund (£7 million).
§ Mr. Peter AinsworthTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement about his powers and responsibilities in relation to regional museums. [95137]
§ Mr. Chris Smith[holding answer 25 October 1999]: Apart from the museums sponsored by my Department, Ministers do not have specific powers and responsibilities in relation to regional museums (some of which are independently run, while others are administered by local authorities). The Department's responsibility is to play a strategic role in championing the interests of the museum sector as a whole.